President Suzie Huber called the meeting to order at 6:40 p.m. Following a motion by Linda Wallace to approve the November 18, 2004 meeting minutes, Jeanine LeMaster seconded, and the minutes were unanimously approved as written.

ALUMNI COUNCIL UPDATE

Sue Taylor reported the following from the January 29, 2005 Alumni Council meeting:

• Hollis Hughes was reappointed to the Board of Trustees as an Alumni Association representative.
• President Jo Ann Gora made the decision to forego a traditional inauguration ceremony and instead to establish the Inauguration Scholarships fund. Fifteen freshmen will receive these $20,000 scholarships. The fund will include contributions from donors. The scholarship pool will consist of students who have applied for Ball State's Whitinger Scholarships. Recipients and their benefactors will participate in a small ceremony in April, during which President Gora will be installed as Ball State's 14th president. The Alumni Association was first to provide funding for the scholarships.
• The BSU Foundation is setting aside $3 million for a student investment program. Last year's return on investments was 19.2 percent, and $41.3 million were raised last year. Total assets, as of last September, were almost $139 million.
• The next Alumni Council meeting is Saturday, June 11, 2005 in conjunction with Alumni College.
  

DEPARTMENT UPDATE

Alice Spangler reported on department updates:

• The department was visited by President Gora, who seemed positive and impressed with the department's growth and technology.
• Dr. Joan McFadden received an IHETS grant to design an on-line graduate course to be taught first in Indiana.
• Three more classrooms have been modified for technology.
• E-mentoring through the freshman introductory course continues to do well. Dr. Whitaker and a graduate assistant are supervising it.
• Kimberli Pike is the new director of the dietetics program.
• RPM celebrated its fifth year with a party on February 5, 2005 that included three alumni speakers.
  

OLD BUSINESS

Communique Newsletter—Marla reported that material is being gathered and that it will be electronically produced for the first time. They are planning to feature an FCS alumnus, and to request volunteers for future Career Mentoring Day alumni speakers. The board was asked to suggest alumni for both. There was discussion about e-mailing to the listserv of Indiana teachers who are BSU alumni.

FCS History Committee—Alice reported that there have been no new developments.

Sue reported that the FCS Alumni Society Fund, Foundation Account #3905, had expenditures for two plaques, leaving a balance of $807.71.

Evaluation results of Career Mentoring Day 2004 were distributed and reviewed.

NEW BUSINESS

Sue observed that this is the third meeting with low attendance and that members who have missed two or more meetings need to be contacted according to our constitution. Suzie will make the contacts.

2005 FCS Alumni Society Board—Jeanine LeMaster was nominated and elected as Vice President. Sue will contact three new prospective members.

Sue reported that there were 98 responses to the August 2004 FCS Alumni Survey. Results were distributed. The newsletter ranked highest as a preferred method of interaction.

2005 FCS Spring Awards Day—Saturday, April 16, 2005. The Planning and Awards Selection committees will meet together February 23, 2005 to make arrangements and/or select award recipients.

New FCS Awards Criteria Committee—Some award criteria has not been set or needs revision. This was tabled until a future board of directors meeting.

FCS Alumni Events—It was suggested to have an FCS alumni gathering in conjunction with Alumni College and Symphony on the Green, Saturday, June 11, 2005.

The next board meeting was set for Wednesday, June 22, 2005, at the Alumni Center Board Room. Refreshments will be available at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting will be at 6:00 p.m.

There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m.